Mistaken Identity

Have you ever heard the phase "you look just like _________" I seem to be hearing it more and more these days because I have a striking resemblance to the police chief here in Louisville, Chief White. Today I was filling up my tank a gentleman and his wife stared at me and said "Chief?" I answered with what has become my normal response.."No, I just look like him". They in turn responded with the typical response ... "I guess you get asked that alot?

What is curious is that I have been living in the city twice as long as Chief White, who was hired in after a national search. So in reality people should be asking the Chief if he is me. I cannot confirm that this is not happening , but I find it very unlikely. As with most people who look like celebrities, no matter who is older, have a better build, or brighter smile, it is always the person  with the press who "you" look like and not vice versa.

Now, looking like the police chief could have its advantages. However, I haven't been able  to use them as yet. From the Chief's perspective this could have some downside. On several occasions my wife and I have been out to dinner or a movie and found people staring. Could it be that they thought I was the Chief? If so, what kind of thought where going through their mind if they know what his wife looks like, or actually asked the Chief what he was doing on a certain day and the stories don't match. Mistaken identity can have a strange consequences.

Last summer the Chief and I were paired together in a Bid Wist tournament that we won. Everyone swore that we were related and had some signals from playing together for years. This was completely false as it was the first time I had ever played cards with the Chief. I have also been asked "do you know you look like Steve Harvey?" This has been coming from white people more than blacks, and more so after Steve was on Dr. Phil and started hosting Family Feud.

Anyway, I always wondered what kind of advantages I would have had if people said.."you look just like Denzel Washington". Not the Denzel from St. Elsewhere but the  Denzel of Training Day.  King Kong ain't got nothing on me!!!!!!!!